Our CEO makes 'Top 50 Power List' of Northern Power Women

Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation Chief Executive, Paula Chadwick, finds herself in exalted company today, having been awarded a place on the ‘Top 50 Power List’ at the inaugural Northern Power Women awards.

The winners were announced at a glittering ceremony hosted by BBC presenter Leah Boleto at the Hilton hotel in Deansgate, Manchester, last night (Thursday 3 March).

The Awards were created to celebrate women (and men) working towards creating gender balance in organisations and supporting gender equality in the north.

Paula Chadwick, who has been CEO of Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation since 2012, has overseen the charity’s expansion from its base in the North West to become a nationwide presence.

She first joined in 1995 as PA to its founder, chest surgeon Professor Ray Donnelly MBE, and worked her way up through the ranks of the organisation to become CEO.

Over the past 26 years, her efforts have helped secure Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation’s position as the only UK charity to focus solely on lung cancer, and, with her colleagues, she is planning for its further growth and development.

On receiving the award, Paula Chadwick said: “This is a wonderful honour. It recognises the work done by Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation and all our amazing supporters, volunteers and staff”.

The audience at the glittering event were shown a short film highlighting the fact that, each day, 44 women die of lung cancer – more than from any other form of the disease.

That film, which includes an interview with Paula Chadwick, can be seen here:

Paula Chadwick added: “We have much work to do to achieve our aim of beating lung cancer – which kills more women and men than any other form of the disease. But we are determined, and we will get there.”

The Northern Power Women Awards is the brainchild of Simone Roche, founder of NorthernPowerWomen, Managing Director of Events 1st, Co-founder TEDxWhitehallWomen and Director of Women 1st.

Northern Power Women aims to support the drive to close the economic gap between north and south and create a northern powerhouse of jobs, investment, prosperity and bright futures.

Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation has invested many millions of pounds into research into the early detection of lung cancer, played a major role in the introduction of the ban on smoking in public places and has supported thousands of people living with lung cancer.

It also currently holds the secretariat for the Global Lung Cancer Coalition, a patient advocacy organisation spanning 23 countries.

Initially known as the Lung Cancer Fund, the charity was renamed five years later after the death of TV presenter and entertainer Roy Castle, who raised over £1m to support the fund in the last year of his life.